Shards Rebuilt
by A Midnight Note
Summary: Something finally clicks in Natalia and she realizes that Ivan will never love her the way she wants him to.


Prolog:

Belarus was being Belarus. She was attempting her normal tirade of convincing Russia to marry her. As she shoved the desk he was hiding behind and saw his terrified face, something clicked inside of her.

"He doesn't love me." Her voice limp."H-h-huh?" Russia looked at him with dead eyes and spoke in a broken voice, "You don't love me." Then she turned and left his office, making her way back to her house. All the way muttering darkly about how Russia would never love her. Probably hated her. She slowly made her way to her into her bedroom and tore away her normal dress to trade for a nightgown and dropped into the bed."All this time," She murmured to herself, "I never figured it out. Vanya doesn't love me." The pain in her voice growing with each syllable. A choked sob escaped her, surprising herself. "V-Vanya." She whimpered, several more sobs following.

And so her night continued in a jumble of sobs and depressed mutterings.

And the next night.

And the night after that.

And the many that followed.

_**Kachannie**_

The next world meeting after my realization was possibly the worst sort of torture. Though I didn't sit next to Vanya like I normally would, I could still hear him. See him. Every look, every word sent a pang though my heart. Though I attempted her normal cold façade on the outside, I felt raw and tormented inside. Only my eyes conveyed that anything wasn't right.

The meeting was a blur. I only spoke when it was forced out of me. As soon as the final bell tolled, I was gone. Half way to my car, someone grabbed a hold of my wrist, effectively stopping her. She turned, ready to whip out a knife if need be. Shocked to see a certain male grabbing onto a delicate eyebrow, "Vhat do you want?"He ran his free had through his hair, a little hesitant. "I noticed you were acting different today. And you weren't sitting by the Commie." He rolled his head, a smirk playing on his lips, "Or harassing him to marry you. So I thought I should check on you." he flashed a brilliant smile at me.A little hurt at the 'harassing' comment, my voice turned icy, "I am fine, Alfred."He raised an eyebrow, clearly not accepting my answer. "Yea, see, you say that, but you definitely don't act like it." His hand dropped, mine along with it and tugging me closer to him slightly. I frowned. "Net, I act the same."He laughed, he actually _laughed._ "Nah, you're not." He causally put his arm across my shoulders. _Who does he think he his?_ I could feel my fury spilling onto my features. "So how about you and I go on an adventure?"I stared at him in disbelief."Do you have a death wish?"Startled he reluctantly answered, "Well. . No. Why would I?"Through gritting teeth, "Because you are _touching _me." He laughed but didn't remove his offending arm."So?"

I sighed in frustration and gave up on convincing him to get off. I wasn't in a pleasant mood and didn't feel like fighting him."What is this adventure you are talking of?" I muttered in defeat.

He smiled brightly, "You'll see Bela." He promptly removed his arm and intertwining our fingers, dragged me towards a car.

"It is Belarus." I muttered darkly as he opened the passenger's side,

"M'lady" I rolled my eyes and slid in as he closed the door and skirted across the hood of the car to his side. _What have you got yourself into, Natalia?_ I thought as he started the car.A few moments later we arrived at a park. I glanced to Alfred, slightly unnerved at the thought that I had no idea where he was taking us._ You never know with America. _He took an obscure way to even obscurer market place brimming with activity. I stopped staring at the market to shift my attention to America."What is this?"

"A market?" Phrasing it as if I should already sighed and gently pinched the bridge of my nose."I know_ that_ much, America." My frustration was growing with the seemingly incompetent man. "What I was getting at, was why are we here?" I tried to simplify it for him. _Stupid American._

"To have fun, duh." His ever present smile grew as he turned off the car and got out. I stayed seated. Until he made his way over and opened the door for me. "Come on, Bel." _Were Americans so lazy that they could not say a person's full name?_ With that thought I got out and stood next to him. He quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bustling crowd. More than a little ruffled at him holding my hand again I asked, "And what is it we are suppose to _do_ here?" He only smiled back at me and threaded his fingers with mine again.

Finally he stopped at a booth, it was selling many different types of food I had never seen. Without showing any interest, I looked over all the foods, intrigued. "What would you like, Bel?" I sighed, irritated that he could not, or _would_ not, say my full name. I looked the foods over once more."That one." I said pointing to a sort of cake. The lady smiled as Alfred picked his own food and traded money with her. He handed me the cake, some sort of chocolate, and dove into his foot long corndog. I studied that cake, it had a sort of white icing drizzled onto the top and it looked rather moist. "It's called Pudding cake." He said, seeming to enjoy my apprehension. I nodded and took a small bite that had icing.

My eyes widened slightly as I chewed, it was _delicious._ It had a sweet flavour to it of course, but not the overwhelming sweetest I was expecting from an American cake. Alfred smiled smugly as I ate the rest."Pretty awesome, isn't it?"I simply nodded, "Da, it was good."

We continued to walk around the market until we came up a sort of clothing booth. And I use the term _clothing _loosely. "Aw, let's check this out!" He of course felt the need to catch my hand in his and pull me over. He let go to pick up a ridiculous pair of sunglasses with each lens the size of small saucer."How do I look?" He said in a mock attempt of a seductive voice. Without realizing I giggled at his absurdity."Hideous." I finally admitted, quieting my laughter.

He raised the offending goggles onto his head so that I could she his pseudo-hurt eyes. He walked over to me and grasped both of my hands with his own."B-but Bel-Bel!" _I am going to _kill_ him. _"I thought they made me handsome!" I attempted to quell the bubbles of laughter raising in me"Net." I could feel my icy wall crumble, "You look just as awful as ever." Then he turned on the puppy dog eyes. _Evil bastard._

"Bel-Bell. . ." He sniffed as if he was about to cry. He released my hands and put them to where his heart would be, "You've wounded me." I shrugged. He sighed and placed the glasses back on the rack."That is what you get for calling me 'Bel-Bel'." I said the name with disgust. _Stupid child's name._ He smiled mischievously, gazing at me with his piercing blues through the normal glasses perched on his nose.

"But it's pretty, just like you, Belarus." I felt the light flush spreading along my normally pale cheeks, but ignored it."As your people you say: Player." I stared at him intently, yet blankly, before walking away. I heard a murmured, "Low blow", that was tinged with awe before I felt him take my hand again."Hey now Ms. Ice Queen, I was only putting on a proper show.""So I'm not pretty?" I quipped.

He paled, I smiled gleefully, _gotcha, play boy._

"N-no, I didn't mean that you weren't, ya know, cause, ya are, I just meant you didn't have to be so mean." He ran his free hand through the back of his blonde locks as our pace slowed to the crowds. My smile was edged with a psychotic glee."That was not me being 'mean', Mr. Jones. That was me playing nice." He laughed nervously.

"Ya know, Bel-Bel," Again, _with that damned nickname, _"You're really kinda scary sometimes."

"Oh I know. I know." I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice. _That's why Vanya doesn't love me._"Hey, I didn't mean anything by that." He held my hand tighter and brought me closer to him. "You should smile more."

My train of thought was derailed. "I should what? Why?"

His own smile widened, how he manage to keep it genuine, I do not know. "Smile, you look even prettier then." _Pretti_er? _Since when did anyone count me as pretty?_

"I do?" Asking myself more than him."Yea, so you should totally do it all the time." I glanced up to his handsome features slightly incredulous.

"You have to have a reason first." My words holding no emotion.

"I'll be that reason." There was no hesitation in him. I couldn't help but gawk."Why?" Was my first thought.

"Because I'm the hero, silly Bel-Bel." He quickly kissed my forehead, "And I kinda have this thing for you and your smile."

If he hadn't have been pulling on my hand, I'm sure I would have stood still in that mass of people._ Alfred has a what for me? _Alfred? There was no way I heard him right. He stopped walking, we were back at the car. "How about we get ourselves some icecream?" I nodded, still stunned, and got into the car. How did I feel about this? It was obvious that I would never be with Ivan, but _Alfred?_ He was an insufferable idiot, _and_ Ivan's enemy for years. _That doesn't mean he has be your enemy too._ Asmall voice inside me spoke. How_ did_ I feel about the idiot? That's when it hit me. I had only thought of Ivan twice this whole time. _He made me forget the pain._ I peered over at Alfred driving, a little in awe. _How did he do that?_

"Uh, I can't help but to notice that you're staring." He chuckled nervously.

I shook my head, "I was thinking."

"Wanna share?"

I frowned and blushed lightly. _Not really._

"If you have to know, I was thinking about you."

He raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly piqued, "Oh?"

"Da." not willing to give up much more than that."It's my Heroic charm, isn't it?" He asked smugly.

"Net." He faltered at the simplicity of my rejection.

"Oh. What then?"

"Just thinking, do you have to know?"

"Well, I'd like to. Since it _is_ about me."I sighed, _just spit it out Natalia._ "I was thinking over how I feel about you." I muttered to the simile returned to its normal brilliance, "Is that so?" The smugness from his voice seeping into me like the taste of bad cough medicine."Da," My voice tight, "And right now I am thinking of how much I would like to throw knife at you." I smiled at him sweetly, "Even if I wouldn't kill you."

His nervous laughter returned. "We're here." He repeated his actions from before. I got out and followed him to a small icecream parlor. A small bell tinkled as we entered."The usual, Alfred?" An elderly voice called from t he back._ Fatty must come everyday._ He chuckled, "Nah, besides, I have a friend today." The face of an older lady peeped from around a dark doorway. She had black hair streaked with silver and white, her face showed the years well."You have a what?" Clearly not used to America bringing others with him."A friend." He said sheepishly as he ran his fingers through his hair. As we came to the counter she looked me over, clearly curious as to what sort of person he would bring."A lady friend." Her voice mixed with approval and knowledge."I-it's no-"

"I am Natalia, nice to meet you Ma'am, I interrupted his stammering. He looked to be, confused. She smiled and came to the register and wiped her hands onto her apron."What can I can you two today?" She asked sweetly, like a grandmother's voice.I studied the menu as Alfred ordered his."Double fudge in a bowl, Ruthie." She nodded and rang his order."Hmm. I would like a bowl of the Black Raspberry chocolate chunk." I gave a brief added my order and Alfred paid, all the while giving me a strange look. As she went to the back to get our ice cream he turned to me."Ya know, I never would've thought that's what you would've picked."I glanced at him briefly before retuning to watch the doorway Ruthie had gone into."And what did you think I would have picked?" "Iunno, plain Vanilla? Seems more likely""And why his that?" Already guessing, but wanting to know none the less.

"You don't seem the type to get something," He struggled for the right word, "Something cool, with _flavour."_ I snorted, "Just because I am not _flamboyant_ like yourself, does not mean I do not enjoy flavour."He put his hands up, as if to defend himself from me, "Okay, okay. I get it-"

"He you go, lovies." Ruthie sat two bowls of ice cream down, I grabbed my own purplish one and picked a booth for us. Alfred quickly followed.I took a few bites of my creamy dish before looking up to find Alfred staring at me. I cleared my mouth before asking, "Is there a reason you are staring?"He shook himself, as if he had been tranced, "Um, you just looked really pretty and yea, kinda got sidetracked." Then he returned to devour his own ice cream.I sighed and ate like the lady I was.A few more moments passed in silence, I was halfway done when I noticed him staring again. Gripping my spoon a little too tight, "Alfred, again, with the staring.""I'm sorry," He drug out the last vowels like a small child, "But I like how calm you look when you're eating. It's pretty."I almost dropped my spoon. Almost. I felt a warmth spread through out my chest. _How is he able to make me feel like that? _"I, um, _spasibo._" _Since when was any man able to render me near speechless?_He chuckled at my lack of words."You're cute when you're speechless too" He leaned closer, resting his forearms on the table, his face less than a foot away.I blushed furiously and felt my heart flutter."Shut it." Was all I could manage.

"Naah," He inched closer, "I'm just telling' ya what I think." I leaned back against the booth and shoved another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. _Stupid American making me blush. Wait. He, he made me blush, how?_ Slowly something dawned on me as I put more of the dessert into my mouth to avoid looking at him. _I'm falling for him. _Finished my ice cream and looked up at his smug face, my eyes slightly wider than normal. His look was expectant."I-I, I think I should leave. _Spasibo_ for the ice cream." With that I got up and exited quickly. The only place to go really was the park across the street. I made may way over and found a nice spot by a fountain to sit. "What is wrong with me?" I whispered to myself. I pulled my knees up and hugged then to my chest, resting my chin on them._ Something must be wrong with me_. I thought, _How else could he affect me like this?_"How?" I asked the winds."How what?" I quickly turned my torso to the offending voice, _Alfred._ He walked over and sat next to me, very close to me. I returned to watching the fountain."Nothing." I said chuckled and scooted closer to me. And I didn't have a thing against it. "Obviously it's something', Natalia." _He used my full name._ I sighed, close to admitting."Da? Well who said it was something you needed to know?" My voice held hardly any of its normal venom. Again he laughed it off."No one needs to, I can tell." He grabbed the hand I wasn't using to prop myself up and intertwined our fingers, "Just spit it out, Natalia." _Stupid, smug, cocky bastard._ I sighed.

"Fine." I kept my face blank as I twisted my torso and brought my face millimeters from his, "I'm falling for you." And with that, I kissed him.


End file.
